The Kerala Road Safety Authority’s (KRSA) ₹1.50-crore project to redevelop Vyttila Junction and decongest it was launched on Sunday (June 21).

Although Vyttila is the biggest junction in Kerala, the junction and the roads converging there have remained bottlenecked despite a six-lane flyover being commissioned in 2021. Multiple projects announced by the then State government, including one to reduce the extent of the massive medians and the roundabout beneath the flyover, did not materialise.

“With traffic congestion worsening by the day, I met the then Transport Minister K.B. Ganesh Kumar seeking funds to redevelop the junction and remove bottlenecks. Subsequently, Hibi Eden, MP, also conducted a site visit, and it was decided to implement a project readied by the City Traffic police. The funds were thus sourced from the KRSA,” said Uma Thomas, MLA, in whose constituency Vyttila is located, in a press release.

Despite the delay in commencing the works, the contractor has agreed to complete the junction’s redevelopment in a time-bound manner, she added. The works that commenced on Sunday include reducing a substantial portion of the medians beneath the flyover that impede smooth traffic flow.

Apart from Ms. Thomas, those present at the launch of the redevelopment project included Mayor V.K. Minimol, ACP, Edappally Traffic Police, Sherif S., NHAI officials, councillors, traders and members of the public.